Although the UK voted “yes” for Brexit in 2016, and finalized its exit from the EU in 2020, it has since been unraveling the complexities of its hasty exit. exit – And joining again, little by little, to European initiatives. It was his final decision Back to the Horizon EU space research programme, and the Copernicus sustainability programme.
However, the European Union did not make it easier for them: resuming their position in satellite surveillance programs, the UK You will have to pay an additional amountwhich is equivalent to a series of annual payments that you have not made at that time.
The decision comes after months of negotiations between London and the European Union, which focused on the issue of payments, due to Britain’s exit from the European Union and disagreements over the Northern Ireland Protocol.The United Kingdom did not pay. It comes to 721 million euros are allocated to the budget for the period between 2021 and 2027.
Negotiations stalled for three years over disagreements over the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol – now the Windsor Framework – but it was finally decided that London will pay 154 million euros annually to Copernicus, bringing the total to 616 million euros until 2027.
Return at any cost
It’s money the UK doesn’t have: In the face of inflation and increases in the cost of living, Govt Rishi Sunak He has been struggling for a year and a half against a series of strikes that have paralyzed the country. Among them are the train and transport strike, the strike of faculty members in British universities, and most recently, NHS Public Health.
British public disillusionment with Brexit continues to grow, as the Conservative Party campaign for the 2016 referendum promised, among other things.It allocated 420 million euros to the National Health Service instead of Brussels.
But after promising 616 million euros for European programmes, British researchers said They will be able to fully participate in the Horizon Europe program on the same conditions as researchers from other countries Partners, including leading consortia, from the 2024 work programs onwards, including any calls opened this year,” according to a joint press release.
Furthermore, the partnership with Copernicus allows the British space research sector Access essential information about flood and fire alerts. According to the joint statement between Rishi Sunak President of the European Commission, Ursula von der LeyenLondon will also have access to EU location and tracking services.
It is, according to Rishi Sunak“Insurance that protects the UK as it recovers from the effects of the past two and a half years.”
A bridge between the two blocks
The decision, which came as a result of years of dialogue between the two warring sides, represents a bridge between London and Brussels.
According to the statement published by the European Commission, the association “Deepening relations between the scientific communities in the UK and the European UnionThis will increase innovation and allow researchers to work together to address global challenges such as climate change and healthcare.
London benefits, as, according to the same statement, it will be able to access “Latest Earth Observation Materials and Services. This comes at a critical time, with Copernicus’ space infrastructure and its information services They are in the process of evolutionTheir contribution to understanding and addressing challenges related to the environment and climate change is more important than ever.
On the other hand, scholars and institutions in the United Kingdom They will be able to apply for money from the €95 billion fund from now on.
Membership in these programs was agreed as part of the Brexit deal when the UK officially left the EU in 2020. However, London has been excluded from the program for the past three yearsDue to a dispute related to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Rishi Sunak He said: “Thanks to the experience and knowledge we bring to the global stage, we have reached an agreement that allows UK scientists to participate in the largest research collaboration program in the world. “We have worked with our EU partners to ensure that this is the right deal for the UK, and opens up opportunities.” “Unprecedented research.”
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